Professional-quality handheld video cameras can be quite heavy. In the film and television industry, cameras that are mounted on the shoulder can put considerable load on the shoulder and/or spine of the operator. While the weight of the combination of a camera, a lens and accessories may vary from project to project, it is not uncommon for the combined weight to fall in the range of 20-40 lbs or more.
An operator who uses such equipment for many hours per day may experience damage to the operator's body, sometimes permanently. For example, it is not unusual for an operator to suffer from major back/spine issues after years of prolonged handheld camerawork.
Consequently, there is a need in the art for a system and method for reducing the load that a handheld camera places on the back of the camera operator.